Description
Hertford Road Cemetery opened in 1880 on land acquired by the Enfield Burial Board and was developed as a separate entity from the adjacent churchyard of St James. The C19th Cemetery Lodge is a two-storey brick building, now largely destroyed by fire, having been sold by auction in the late 1990s. After the Burial Board was wound up in the 1920s, the cemetery was later owned by LB Enfield, and the Lodge used by the Parks Superintendent and then as a Parks store.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Enfield Highway Cemetery |
|---|---|
| Site location | Hertford Road, Enfield Highway |
| Postcode | EN3 |
| What3Words | ///folds.stale.violin |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Enfield |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 9am (Mon-Sat)/10am (Sun/BH) - 4pm (Dec/Jan); - 4.30pm (Nov/Feb); 5.30pm (Mar/Apr/Sep/Oct); -7pm/7.30 Sun/BHs (May-Aug). |
| Public Transport | Rail: Southbury then bus. Bus: 121, 279, 307, 310, 310A, 363 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Originally called Enfield Highway Cemetery, this small, unpretentious but rather neglected cemetery opened for burials in 1880. It is situated behind St James' Churchyard (q.v.) and adjacent to Durants Park(q.v.) from which it is divided by iron railings and a row of old plane trees. At the boundary between the churchyard and cemetery is fencing and appear to be younger trees that may be self-seeded. A late C19th/early C20th iron gate in the fence allows access between cemetery and churchyard with a path running from one to the other. The land was acquired by the Enfield Burial Board and the cemetery was developed as a separate entity from the adjacent churchyard. The Burial Board was wound up in the 1920s, the cemetery and its C19th Cemetery Lodge later owned by LB Enfield. The Lodge is a two-storey brick building, now largely destroyed by fire, having been sold by auction in the late 1990s; when in council ownership it was used by the Parks Superintendent and later as a Parks Department store. A public footpath runs through the cemetery parallel to which is another path, both flanked by avenues of trees. The gravestones are scattered among grass, with C19th gravestones generally in the vicinity of the Lodge where there is also a garden of rest for cremations, but the cemetery is closed to new burials.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ351970 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 4.41 |
| Site Ownership | LB Enfield |
| Site Management | Place Shaping and Enterprise, Cemeteries Registrar |
| Dates | 1880/1 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Enfield |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Durants Park is named after Durrants, a sub-manor of the Enfield Estate dating from the C13th. From the early C15th Durants was owned by the influential Wroth family and James I reputedly visited frequently. In the C18th Sir Thomas and Lady Stringer lived here, whose son William married a daughter of the infamous Judge Jeffreys. Fortifications on an outbuilding were said to have been erected for his protection. In 1910 this and the remains of the moated manor house, Durants Arbour, were demolished. In 1903 Enfield UDC had bought c.14 hectares of estate land for a public park. The park initially had a bandstand and drinking fountain, but by the 1930s facilities for tennis, bowling and putting, and an athletics track were provided.
St James' Church was built in 1831, when a new church was needed to serve the growing parish of Enfield. Originally a Chapel of Ease, St James's became a district church in 1833. It was damaged in a fire in the mid C20th and later restored. The churchyard, which adjoins Durants Park and Hertford Road Cemetery, was extended in 1861 and is now closed to burials. There are a number of good trees, gravestones and tombs, mainly C19th.
Enfield UDC opened Ponders End Recreation Ground in the 1920s, having purchased 8 acres of land for its creation. The name Ponders End may have derived from a family by the name of Ponder who lived here in the C14th, probably so-called for being keepers of a pond. It is a small recreation ground with some formal planting at the entrance on the High Street, which has railings and London planes. Beyond the small area of formal flower beds and shrubberies is a modest bandstand surrounded with a partial circle of hedging with some roses, beyond which are sports facilities.
